Healthy Life Newsletter, February 2021
The Secret to a Happier 2021
After all that we’ve been through in 2020, a happier 2021 seems like both an eventuality and an absolute necessity. But it’s more than just a catch phrase; there’s a real science behind attaining happiness in 2021 and beyond.
So take out your list of New Year’s resolutions for this year and get ready to make some changes that will help you make changes for the better.
What’s the key to happiness this year? Look beyond things like losing weight, exercising consistently, eating more vegetables, etc. Those are great goals, but research suggests that not only are most people unsuccessful at attaining them, but they also won’t deliver true happiness. What will? Doing things that make the world a better place.
According to self-determination theory (SDT), we all have a natural, built-in tendency toward behavior that is effective and healthy. Whenever you willingly act in a way that helps others, you satisfy the three basic needs postulated by SDT: autonomy (choosing to do something you believe has personal value), competence (creating a sense of accomplishment by taking on challenges) and relatedness (establishing a connection with others).
By acting in this way, you satisfy the basic requirements for your own happiness – and of course, you’re probably more likely to succeed. After all, which are you more likely (and willing) to do this year: lose weight or help, say, a family member in need? SDT proponents would say that the latter is not only more likely, but also more rewarding in terms of your personal happiness.
So review your list of resolutions and make changes where necessary. Focus more on how to improve others and the world this year; in doing so, you’ll have a happier 2021, say SDT advocates, because your essential psychological needs will be met. Achieving a happier you – isn’t that what your New Year’s resolutions are really designed to accomplish?
Raise Your Hand If You Have Back Pain
As adults, we get used to a variety of daily or near-daily aches and pains, particularly as we age. But what about our children? Don’t they seem immune to many, if not all, of the pain complaints we have – despite the fact that for the most part, they’re exponentially more active?
Maybe not. A study of schoolchildren ages 12-15 revealed a startling statistic: More than half (57 percent) reported experiencing back pain in the past year. As you might expect, “remaining seated at school” was a primary pain trigger, particularly for back pain lasting up to seven days.
These findings not only point to the universality of back pain – and the need for it to be addressed by qualified health care professionals such as doctors of chiropractic; but also the need to recognize and avoid situations that may increase the risk of experiencing an episode of back pain.
For example, evidence implicates ergonomic flaws both in the school and workplace (desk / chair height, etc.) in back pain, not to mention carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain and other conditions. What’s more, the act of sitting alone creates undue stress on the spinal column and encourages poor posture whether at school, work or home, a major initiator of back pain and related conditions.
If anyone in your family is suffering from back pain, do something about
it. Talk to your chiropractor about the potential causes and solutions.
The Problem with Surgery for Low Back Pain
If you’ve ever experienced back pain, whether acute or chronic, there are a few facts you should know. First, you’re not alone; studies suggest 80 percent of adults experience at least one episode of low back pain in their lifetime. Second, thousands of people undergo back surgery every year for back pain, putting their bodies at risk for surgical complications. Third, chiropractic and other conservative, nonsurgical treatment methods have been shown to be effective for uncomplicated cases of LBP.
And here’s one more important fact: Research suggests the big problem with surgery for back pain, particularly chronic back pain (recurrent pain over weeks or months), is that it doesn’t seem to work – at least not any better than conservative care. The latest evidence: study findings published in the research journal Spine that found: “After an average of 11 years follow-up, there was no difference in patient self-rated outcomes between fusion and multidisciplinary cognitive-behavioral and exercise rehabilitation for cLBP (chronic low-back pain)
The results suggest that, given the increased risks of surgery and the lack of deterioration in nonoperative outcomes over time, the use of lumbar fusion in cLBP patients should not be favored in health care systems where multidisciplinary cognitive-behavioral and exercise rehabilitation programs are available.”
This isn’t the first study to suggest surgery isn’t your best option when it comes to the back. And if you think you can go to any type of doctor, think again. Expertise aside, research indicates that the type of doctor you visit first – namely a surgeon vs. a doctor of chiropractic – can essentially determine whether you’ll eventually undergo surgery. So think surgery last and visit a chiropractor first. Your back will thank you for it.
The below is from a 7 minute video by James Bogash, DC at youtube.com. If you know any children..or adults..or have suffered from seizures be sure to share this with them…
CBD for Seizures in Children: Is It Safe?
Mainstream neurology wants to jump on the fancy new medications right off the bat for seizures.
But newer isn’t necessarily better. The two oldest, safest and arguably the most effective treatments for seizures are the ketogenic diet and CBD. Interestingly, the ketogenic diet is also the oldest treatment.
Despite this, these are also the LAST two treatments used for seizure control. I just don’t get it.
Sure–the ketogenic diet takes some work, but IT’S YOUR BRAIN. Forgive me to assume people would want to do everything to protect the only one of these organs that he or she has.
So..a pill is easier.
But mainstream medicine has fought the use of CBD for seizure control tooth and nail. Part of this may be the patient’s fault. Had a patient several years ago who was epileptic. Multiple anti-epileptic drugs didn’t help at all. It wasn’t until he started smoking marijuana that his seizures completely went away. But did he tell his neurologist? No. This left his neuro thinking that the last drug was what finally did it.
But the research has been caving to the pressure from patients and parents who want a safer alternative that isn’t loaded with scary brain-damaging side effects.
Or maybe it’s just because a drug company has patented a version of CBD that they can make tremendous amounts of money from…?
Epilodex was approved in June of 2018 for some pretty serious seizure types (Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome) and has added tuberous sclerosis complex seizures as well. But this is a small market compared to other types of epilepsy, which is the 3rd most common neurological disorder on the planet, with some 50 million people with epilepsy worldwide.
Which brings me to this study, which used CBD in 45 children with treatment-resistant epilepsy (again with the “harmful drugs first” approach). The results were pretty impressive (and keep in mind–these were kids where the drugs were NOT working):
54-72% reduction in major seizures
61-70% reduction in all seizures
Seizure-free days got better with time, up to 7.52 / month
Side effects were seen, but consider that this IS a synthetic version
For more on this subject watch the video .
Working at Home a Pain in Your Neck? Try These Posture and Ergonomic Tips
With so many people working from home these days to maintain social distancing from their colleagues, many are developing musculoskeletal pain. Improving posture and ergonomics is a proactive way to take care of your body while working remotely, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).
“I have received countless calls from people who developed musculoskeletal pain soon after beginning work from home,” said ACA member Karen Erickson, DC, who practices in New York City. “Upon careful analysis, we found a common cause: working on a desktop, laptop or cell phone with poor posture or a poor ergonomic set-up.
Dr. Erickson says postural imbalance is one of the most common reasons patients seek help from chiropractors. “Most of us slouch, text constantly, tip our head and hold our telephone to our ear, and sit at the computer all day with our shoulders and neck rounded forward with legs crossed,” she explains. “Our bodies are suffering.”
To reduce stress on the body, Dr. Erickson offers the following work-at-home suggestions:
You might need a quiet room to work or specialized software that keeps you pinned to your desk. For everything else, identify a few places in your home where you can work, and change body position and location throughout the day. Find ways to work standing, walking and sitting.
Sit in a good chair—even a wooden one—on your sit bones (the bones at the very bottom of your pelvis), with a little arch in your low back. Avoid the slouch, that half-sitting, half-lying position so many use to lounge on the sofa or in bed. If you want to work in bed or on the sofa, sit up on your sit bones.
When sitting, put both feet on the floor with a right angle at your knees. Avoid crossing legs or tucking in feet. Good posture means the bones carry the weight of your body. Aligning your posture lets your bones do the work, not your muscles. This prevents muscle spasm, pain and inflammation. It can even prevent nerve pain and headaches.
Use a keyboard tray and pull it out over your lap. If you use a laptop, use it as a screen only, placing it at eye level with a stand or a stack of books. Get a remote keyboard to use with a keyboard tray.
To avoid neck pain, keep your screen at eye level whether you use a laptop or monitor. Put books underneath your monitor to raise it or use a stand, if necessary.
Shoulders should be dropped and relaxed, with elbows hanging down, centered at the seam line of your shirt. Don’t use the keyboard with your elbows reaching forward. This could cause isometric spasm in your neck and/or shoulders and arms, leading to pain and inflammation.
Keep your sternum or breastbone lifted. This keeps your torso, head and shoulders erect. Letting the sternum collapse down will pull the head forward and compresses your torso.
Avoid forward head position. Keep your head erect, in line with your torso. Keep your screen at eye level. For every inch your head is forward it increases the weight on your upper back and neck by 10 pounds! If you use a cell phone, rest your elbows on your chest and hold the phone at eye level.
Use a telephone headset so you don’t have to crunch your neck when using the phone.
Remember to take several exercise breaks throughout the day, even if only to empty the dishwasher, put in a load of laundry, climb the stairs a few times, do yoga, get in some planks and squats, dance, or take a short walk.
Don’t be surprised if you catch yourself with poor posture several times a day.
As your habits change, Dr. Erickson says you’ll be able to spot poor posture right away and fix it. “If you catch yourself slumping,” she adds, “just chuckle and think, ‘I can fix this.’ And fix it. Done!”